Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've tried a lot of different chocolate chip cookie recipes and I realize that personal preference plays a big part in determining which cookie is your favorite. But finally, I'm happy to say, that the search for my perfect chocolate chip cookie has ended! This recipe is slightly different from the Original Toll House recipe...more brown sugar, less white sugar, more vanilla, and more baking soda. The basis for this recipe came from the cookbook The 150 Best American Recipes by Fran Mc Cullough and Molly Stevens. I changed the recipe by adding some flour and reducing the salt. Flattening the cookies before baking helps them to cook more evenly. I'll sleep better tonight knowing I have this recipe in my files...

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon table salt
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (but not too soft)

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups (12 ounces) chocolate chips or chopped bittersweet chocolate

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F with rack just below the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment or Silpat baking mats.

Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda.

With a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla. Add the flour mixture all at once and blend until a dough forms. Fold in the chocolate and walnuts. Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour.

Roll 1 1/2 tablespoon lumps of dough into balls (I used a 1 1/2 tablespoon medium cookie scoop), then place them on the baking sheets. Flatten with your hands to 1/2 inch thick disks, spacing them 2 inches apart. If your hands are sticking to the dough, dampen your hands slightly to prevent sticking. The cookies can be frozen at this point by placing the flattened cookies on a cookie sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment paper and placing in the freezer until frozen. After the cookies are frozen, transfer the unbaked cookies to a zip top freezer bag. There's no need to thaw the cookies before baking, but the baking time may need to be adjusted.

Bake until the edges are golden brown, about 14 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.